23 arrested during online prostitution sting

Published: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at 10:06 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at 10:06 a.m.

Authorities announced Tuesday that they arrested 21 men and women on prostitution charges, and they seized drugs, cash and a car during an undercover operation Friday.

Two others were arrested on drug possession charges.

Agents from the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team targeted people who engaged in prostitution or solicited prostitution using postings on the website Backpage.com.

Those who answered an advertisement placed by authorities and went to the predetermined location on Southwest State Road 200 were arrested.

Agents with the Ocala Police Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Office took part in the operation. Officials said the price for sexual favors ranged from $35 to $260.

Those arrested came from as near as Ocala and, as with one truck driver, as far away as Chicago.

One woman told authorities she is from Puerto Rico and had been in Florida for a couple of months, according to an arrest report. She said she didn’t have a job and wanted to make money by escorting.

Others gave various reasons for why they were caught in the sting.

One man told agents he wanted “to party since he was an old man” and “had been married for 20 years,” according to one report. Another said his wife was out of town and that he was going to be in trouble when she learned about his involvement, according to another report.

Of the 21 people, 17 are men and four are women. Officials arrested one man at the scene, in the 3400 block of Southwest S.R. 200, on a drug possession charge after he dropped off a woman for a possible sexual liaison.

Another man is accused of smoking marijuana in the presence of undercover agents.

<p>Authorities announced Tuesday that they arrested 21 men and women on prostitution charges, and they seized drugs, cash and a car during an undercover operation Friday.</p><p>Two others were arrested on drug possession charges.</p><p>Agents from the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team targeted people who engaged in prostitution or solicited prostitution using postings on the website Backpage.com.</p><p>Those who answered an advertisement placed by authorities and went to the predetermined location on Southwest State Road 200 were arrested.</p><p>Agents with the Ocala Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Office took part in the operation. Officials said the price for sexual favors ranged from $35 to $260.</p><p>Those arrested came from as near as Ocala and, as with one truck driver, as far away as Chicago.</p><p>One woman told authorities she is from Puerto Rico and had been in Florida for a couple of months, according to an arrest report. She said she didn't have a job and wanted to make money by escorting.</p><p>Others gave various reasons for why they were caught in the sting.</p><p>One man told agents he wanted “to party since he was an old man” and “had been married for 20 years,” according to one report. Another said his wife was out of town and that he was going to be in trouble when she learned about his involvement, according to another report.</p><p>Of the 21 people, 17 are men and four are women. Officials arrested one man at the scene, in the 3400 block of Southwest S.R. 200, on a drug possession charge after he dropped off a woman for a possible sexual liaison.</p><p>Another man is accused of smoking marijuana in the presence of undercover agents.</p><p>Agents confiscated crack cocaine, powder cocaine, prescription drugs, marijuana, $1,400 in cash and a Mercury Grand Marquis.</p><p>Here is a list of the people arrested and the charges they face:</p><p><ul> </p><p><li>Lewis T. McNeill, 39, of Fort McCoy, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li> John Samuel Crossan, 25, of Dunnellon, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li> Robert C. Foster, 33, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li> Louis F. Nieves-Sosa, 40, of Dunnellon, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li> Antwan R. Coley, 31, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Robert J. Durand, 31, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Edwin J. Washington, 35, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution and possession of crack cocaine; </li></p><p><li> Mark. W. Blackmon, 54, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution and possession of crack cocaine; </li></p><p><li>Michael J. Holland, 25, of Summerfield, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Nyl M. Davis, 35, of Silver Springs Shores, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>William F. Berry III, 36, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Luka Gerzic, 25, of Chicago, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Elroy J. Rozier, 50, of Wildwood, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Corey D. Jelks, 32, of Williston, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Andre Lazicki, 38, of Connecticut, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Antonio L. James, 30, of Morriston, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Marek Stuller, 29, of Ocala, solicitation of prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Sheila M. Velazquez, 27, of Puerto Rico, prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Juliet McLeod, 32, of Orlando, prostitution; </li></p><p><li>Christina H. Kunkel, 24, of Ocala, prostitution, resisting arrest with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer; </li></p><p><li>Sylvia D. Douglas, 56, of Lake City, prostitution, unlawful possession of oxycodone, unlawful possession of morphine and unlawful possession of alprazolam; </li></p><p><li>David H. Kligfeld, 52, of Georgia, on possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana; </li></p><p><li>Edward J. Mitchell, 40, of Ocala, possession of cocaine, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. </li></p><p></ul></p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>